The Space Force and National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) are collaborating on a joint project to launch satellites capable of tracking targets on the ground or at sea as soon as next year, according to a top Space Force official.
Satellites for Ground Moving Target Indication (GMTI)
Lt. Gen. DeAnna Burt, the Space Force’s deputy chief of space operations for operations, cyber, and nuclear, announced that „initial satellites” enabling ground moving target indication (GMTI) „have been launching,” including electro-optical sensors and a „low-end radar capability.” Additionally, the Space Force has deployed „quite a few” mesh network communications satellites to facilitate data transfer.
Full Operational Capability in the Near Future
Burt indicated that military and intelligence officials are preparing to effectively employ space-based GMTI. „In the next year, when the actual GMTI satellites launch,” the constellation can be met with a „full regional squadron” in Indo-Pacific Command and a global Space Force squadron assigned to US Space Command.
Crawl, Walk, Run Approach
„So this is a crawl, walk, run as the constellation is launched to build the humans and the training and the data and machine-to-machine C2 [command and control] that has to happen to make this successful,” she explained.
Collaboration with NRO
The Pentagon has been collaborating with the NRO for years to develop space-based GMTI, which offers greater resilience against adversary threats compared to airborne platforms. These satellites are also intended to fill gaps left by the Air Force’s divestment of the E-8C Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System (JSTARS).
Airborne Moving Target Indication (AMTI)
The Space Force is also developing a satellite constellation for airborne moving target indication (AMTI), though this mission is more challenging due to the higher speeds of airborne targets.
AMTI Prototype Satellites
US Northern Command chief Gen. Gregory Guillot revealed that the Pentagon already has AMTI prototype satellites on orbit. An analysis of alternatives is expected to be completed this fall.
Multilayered Architecture
Fielding a working AMTI constellation gained importance after the Trump administration revealed its intention to cancel the E-7 Wedgetail, the radar plane successor of the E-3 Sentry. Officials expect an AMTI constellation to be online in the early 2030s but acknowledge that a multilayered architecture, including aircraft and ground-based radars, will be needed.
Congressional Support
The One Big Beautiful Bill accelerated AMTI work by adding $2 billion for AMTI satellites. Congressional committees have pushed back against the E-7’s truncation and may ultimately rescue the plane once a budget for fiscal 2026 is finalized.
